Schoop's going to keep his job

[El Gordo]

I don't have the stats right in from of me, but it certainly seems that Schoop is doing a lot better at offense than last year. I realize that it's just ST, but his bat is a lot better. Plus he's still doing very well at defense. Whereas Cabrera isn't looking all that good.

So what will they do with Cabrera? Is Jimmy Paredes's defense that much worse than Cabrera's?

He's not walking, but he's seeing more pitches. 29 for 15 PA as compared to Pearce 14 for 14 PA.

[scOtt]

I wasn't worried about Schoop until you made this post.

Frobby jinx...

It does seem ECab is making more mistakes than sterling plays. Buck defended him today...

Yesterday actually...

Going back to Cabrera's mistake, Showalter said, "You've got to keep in mind he's played shortstop a lot more. I try to keep that in mind. He's made some good plays there, too, that some second basemen can't make. Obviously, we've been spoiled by some other guys.

"His clock at second base is different than his clock at shortstop and trying to get that under control, so keep running him out there."

[Frobby]

In my eyes it wasn't hard to see it that when even when we first signed Cabrera.

No reason what do ever he shouldnt be the starting 2B. So he had a poor avg and OBP last year as a rook. Big deal, thats kind of to be expected when your not a Mike Trout type.

He has steadily and constantly improved since the beginning of last year. You don't bench or send down someone like that.

Im also a Laker fan and Buck could be trying Phil Jacksons methods. Use media to put a message out there and see how they player responds. Does he start to get overly confident? Does he become big headed? Just trying to test him psychologically...maybe. but I believe that Buck and staff really does like him.

Buck is definitely capable of calculating what buttons to push for a player through the media.

[Frobby]

He's not walking, but he's seeing more pitches. 29 for 15 PA as compared to Pearce 14 for 14 PA.

Sounds to me like you're relying on spring training box scores that count all strikeouts as 3 pitches, all walks as 4 pitches, and everything else as one pitch. Nobody has P/PA that low. Perhaps you're being facetious?

[El Gordo]

Sounds to me like you're relying on spring training box scores that count all strikeouts as 3 pitches, all walks as 4 pitches, and everything else as one pitch. Nobody has P/PA that low. Perhaps you're being facetious?

I'm just going by the stats on the MLB O's site.http://baltimore.orioles.mlb.com/stats/sortable.jsp?c_id=bal#game_type='S'&playerType=ALL&elem=%5Bobject+Object%5D&tab_level=child&click_text=Sortable+Player+hitting&season=2015&season_type=ANY&league_code='MLB'&sectionType=sp&statType=hitting&page=1&ts=1426233679633 However they count it he is seeing more pitches than most of the O's.

[Frobby]

I'm just going by the stats on the MLB O's site.http://baltimore.orioles.mlb.com/stats/sortable.jsp?c_id=bal#game_type='S'&playerType=ALL&elem=%5Bobject+Object%5D&tab_level=child&click_text=Sortable+Player+hitting&season=2015&season_type=ANY&league_code='MLB'?ionType=sp&statType=hitting&page=1&ts=1426233679633 However they count it he is seeing more pitches than most of the O's.

I wouldn't rely on that, for the reasons I gave. Do you really think Pearce has put 14 straight pitches in play? Of course not. But he hasn't struck out or walked, so they count it as 14 pitches. There's no telling how many pitches he's actually seen.

[fearthenoodle]

MLB.com gameday does not keep accurate track of ST balls/strikes. And that is the data that populates the mlb.com ST stats. As frobby said, it counts every ball put in play as a 1-pitch AB, every K is 3 pitches and every walk is 4.

[1968_bills_fan]

I look at Caberea as a Flaherty upgrade rather than a Schoop replacement. He is more of a backup for the starting 3B/SS/2B than a utility infielder. If on of th starters goes down for 30 days, its Caberea in there not the utility guy. Insurance for staying in the pennant race.

[canonfaz]

I look at Caberea as a Flaherty upgrade rather than a Schoop replacement. He is more of a backup for the starting 3B/SS/2B than a utility infielder. If on of th starters goes down for 30 days, its Caberea in there not the utility guy. Insurance for staying in the pennant race.

I agreed with this at the beginning of camp, but I have a feeling that after Buck has seen him misplay a few balls that Flaherty will still have the utility job to start the season. I think Cabrera starts at AAA and is called up after the first INF injury.

[Redskins Rick]

I agreed with this at the beginning of camp, but I have a feeling that after Buck has seen him misplay a few balls that Flaherty will still have the utility job to start the season. I think Cabrera starts at AAA and is called up after the first INF injury.

Exactly, I still think the main reason he was brought in, was for insurance. Buck and DD saw both Manny and Hardy go down, lucky for the team, Hardy bounced back.

[Ohfan67]

I still don't understand why they signed Cabrera unless they were/are worried about Hardy's back. It seems like a waste of 2.4 million by a team with a super tight budget. Oh well.

I think Schoop will definitely be the starting second baseman, but he could definitely lose the job if he doesn't hit.

[Ohfan67]

I agreed with this at the beginning of camp, but I have a feeling that after Buck has seen him misplay a few balls that Flaherty will still have the utility job to start the season. I think Cabrera starts at AAA and is called up after the first INF injury.

If Cabrera can't beat out Flaherty, then Cabrera seems like an even bigger waste of money. Why pay 2.4 million for an insurance IF at AAA? I still think the Cabrera signing is a real head scratcher given the voluminous cries of woe about money coming from the Orioles.

Sorry, didn't mean to derail a good thread about Schoop.

[Redskins Rick]

I still don't understand why they signed Cabrera unless they were/are worried about Hardy's back. It seems like a waste of 2.4 million by a team with a super tight budget. Oh well.

I think Schoop will definitely be the starting second baseman, but he could definitely lose the job if he doesn't hit.

This is what championship teams do, and this is no longer a super tight budget team, this is a team trying to stay in contention.

Last year with multiple injuries, showed them the need for better depth, to stay competitive.

[jamalshw]

I think Everth Cabrera was brought in to see if he can get back into his 2013 form. A .350 OBP with speed would be a shot in the arm for this team, but he has yet to really look the part.

He missed the last couple months of the season and had injury issues a year ago. I am willing to give him some time to get his feet under him, but he would have to really start lighting things up to have any shot to break camp as a starter on this team.

Honestly, I think what realistically happens in Cabrera goes to AAA and splits 2B/SS with Navarro until someone gets injured OR until mid-May if Cabrera is playing very well (both offensively and defensively) and Schoop is still struggling at the plate.

[mdbdotcom]

If Cabrera can't beat out Flaherty, then Cabrera seems like an even bigger waste of money. Why pay 2.4 million for an insurance IF at AAA? I still think the Cabrera signing is a real head scratcher given the voluminous cries of woe about money coming from the Orioles.

Sorry, didn't mean to derail a good thread about Schoop.

If Schoop produces offensively, it wouldn't surprise me to see Cabrera given considerable time in the outfield at Norfolk. De Aza will be gone after this year. Having a decent left fielder who can lead off would be a plus, and Cabrera is still under team control for next year. There is a lot of talent in him. Just have to figure out the best way to get it out.